September 2006 Aren't we glad the anniversary is over. Press coverage was brutal. Nagin and Bush bore the brunt of the criticism. Comparison with Mississippi was unavoidable and unfavorable.

Earthquake? You bet, on September 10 at 10am CDT a 6.0 hit the central Gulf of Mexico. Too weak to create a tsunami the tremors were felt around town. This is the first earthquake I've ever heard of in this area.

The summer drags on hot and miserable. The first glimpse of Fall arrived in early September. It was hot but a bit dryer with a breath of breeze. Tropical Storm Ernesto threatened briefly as August waned but turned north and pummeled the east coast on September 1st from the Carolinas to Boston.

The Corps is not close to providing New Orleans with protection from a 100 year storm. That is what we supposedly had preK, but actually didn't. Although we are reportedly protected at preK levels today thats not good enough so billions more will be spent through 2010 to achieve 100 year protection. I don't have the parameters for such a storm although I guess it's the 135 mph, 12.9 foot type of storm.

Schools are opening. The State run Recovery District is having the greatest problems getting started. Too few teachers, damaged facilities and an overall lack of organization seems to be dogging this new outfit.

Crime slowed to preK levels during August.

The conference committee will meet to settle the differences between the House and Senate versions of the OCS revenue sharing. Fireworks are a near certainty. The future of the state is clearly at stake.

A new debris removal controversy has hit the streets when national attention was focused on the contract arrangement between City of New Orleans and Waste Management for use of the Chef Menture landfill.