July 2007 is month 23 since Katrina. You might think it would be getting old to talk about a hurricane that missed us by 15 miles two years ago, but it is not. Storm season is just ramping up. July may offer a tropical storm. August and September are more deadly. We are not protected against even a minimal storm. Every one of us is worried about this potential.

After years of fighting to keep it open, the Corps finally finds itself recommending closure of the MrGO navigation channel in a Draft Legislative Environmental Impact Statement. The plan shall be integrated into the December 2007 Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan. A rock dam at Bayou LaLoutre will close off the channel from the sea. It could be finished as soon as June, 2008. This closure plus expansion of  fresh water and silt diversions like Caernavon  and work on the Chandelieur barrier islands could begin to repair the environment to the east of the Mississippi River.

The July 4th holiday, Essence Festival (now back from Houston because New Orleans is a "stone music town") and the worldwide Live Earth  events provide entertainment and distraction.

David Vitter caught in DC Madam's phone book. More scandal for Louisiana is not what we need. Yet another politician is caught enjoying what should not be a crime at all while opposing the reforms that would make it legal. It is not really hypocrisy. It is just political expediency.

Nagin vs Jordan vs Riley. Remember Mad Magazine's Spy vs Spy vs Spy. It was comedy then and tragedy now. If Nagin thinks Foti is the solution, the people of New Orleans are in dire straights, left with only the feds to preserve us. If you are not sure, this paragraph is about the Criminal Justice System.

Jordan continues to shine as the murder case against Dr. Pou and nurses Budo and Landry is dismissed by the Grand Jury with a No True Bill.  OK it's hard to blame Jordan for this fiasco which is decidely the brainchild of Attorney General Charles Foti. Apparently Jordan didn't waste too much effort and was pleased with the outcome, stating that "Justice has been served." Foti was not quite so happy claiming that Jordan failed to present the expert witness testimony that Foti relied on.

Lafitte area levee district? In a peculiar move the state decided to create another levee board.

Formaldehyde in the FEMA trailers? Testing is underway. Shouldn't this have been checked out before they were ordered rather than after two years?