January 2011

New Orleans Dumps FEMA Trailers—and Maybe the People in Them

Condita Duplessis hugs granddaughter Jalinh Vasquez Barthelemy outside their FEMA trailer. Photo: Getty Images/Mario Tama

by Julianne Hing, Colorlines. [...Read more]

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Bridge The Gulf

Why Mississippi governor's sudden show of mercy is no 'shining example'

By Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Crossposted from Facing South. [...Read more]

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Bridge The Gulf

What's In and What's Out in the Oil Damaged Gulf

With a new year upon us, it’s time to take stock of the historic BP oil disaster and look towards the future. The Deepwater Horizon blow out shined a national spotlight on the oil and gas drilling  in the Gulf, an environmental time bomb that blew 50 miles offshore. [...Read more]

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Rocky Kistner

Illnesses linked to BP oil disaster

Independent scientists have confirmed that Gulf marine life is heavily contaminated by the dispersed oil and oil sheen in the water. [...Read more]

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Bridge The Gulf

Crashing the Kemper Coal Groundbreaking

Air_Banner_WCBI_Lead_Story_12.16_cropped [...Read more]

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Bridge The Gulf

Housing activists, Louisiana residents call for Road Home fix

Last week, Hurricane Katrina survivors packed two Greater New Orleans churches and voiced some of the frustration, anger, and hurt that they’ve been nursing over the “Road Home” recovery program.  The public meetings, in St. Bernard parish and New Orleans’ Ninth Ward, were held to inform residents about inequities and corruption in the housing program.
 [...Read more]

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Ada McMahon

One Year After Haiti Earthquake, Corporations Profit While People Suffer

One year after an earthquake devastated Haiti, much of the promised relief and reconstruction aid has not reached those most in need. In fact, the nation's tragedy has served as an opportunity to further enrich corporate interests. [...Read more]

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Jordan Flaherty

Hearing citizens' impassioned pleas, oil spill commissioner pledges to address health issues

New Orleans -- In an emotional public meeting yesterday, citizens from across the Gulf Coast urged the President's oil spill commission to help solve the growing health crisis here -- and got a pledge of support in return. [...Read more]

Ada McMahon's picture
Ada McMahon

Gulf Residents to Oil Industry and Government: Our Health is Not a Tradeoff

Yesterday, an icy wind whipped through the French Quarter. But inside the New Orleans Sheraton, the atmosphere was hot.

That’s where 250 people gathered to attend a forum sponsored by the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Appointed by President Obama, it had just released its final report after a six-month investigation into the nation’s worst oil disaster in history. [...Read more]

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Rocky Kistner

Kenneth Feinberg and the GCCF - How You Can Help

Last week I attended 5 meetings with Gulf Coast citizens and Kenneth Feinberg, concerning the claims process and the future of our people.
 
 
The following choices were given to us by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF):
 
  [...Read more]

Cherri Foytlin's picture
Cherri Foytlin

Questions the Press Needs to Ask About the Gulf Oil Disaster

A version of this blog first appeared on the Neiman Watchdog website

I have worked and lived with the people of the bayou in Buras, LA, for the past six months.  But when the BP well from hell was capped in mid-July, the media ran for the exits as fast as they stormed the bayous in early May. They've barely looked back. [...Read more]

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Rocky Kistner

Feinberg blasted in public meetings across Gulf Coast

In two weeks of public meetings across the Gulf Coast, Kenneth Feinberg is hearing pointed criticism of the claims process he is leading.  Residents point to inconsistency and lack of transparency as major problems. [...Read more]

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Ada McMahon

Behind the Scenes: The Daily Show comes to Turkey Creek, Mississippi

Tonight the small African American community of Turkey Creek, Mississippi will hit the limelight on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. [...Read more]

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Bridge The Gulf

In the Gulf, a native community fights the oil disaster

For a thousand years, Rosina Philippe and her aunt Geraldine Philippe's families fished and hunted in the Louisiana bayou. As members of the Atakapa-Ishak Nation, they have thrived along the lush marshes and canals of Mississippi River delta, surviving on the fertile environment that sustains and nurtures their lifestyle.

Then the BP oil disaster struck last summer, and things have never been the same. [...Read more]

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Rocky Kistner

Gulf Coast fighting for recompense

Gulf Coast businesses are closing down as they fail to secure compensation payouts [Photo: Erika Blumenfeld]  [...Read more]

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Bridge The Gulf

A letter to my people

All individuals have the right to equality, equal opportunity, fair treatment and an environment free of pollutants. What we have seen in the Gulf, and around the world, is an infringement upon both our civil rights and our human rights.  So the question is: What are you going to do about it?

To the people of the United States of America: [...Read more]

Cherri Foytlin's picture
Cherri Foytlin

A different take on Turkey Creek's epic story tonight on The Daily Show

When I heard that The Daily Show was sending one of its "correspondents" to Turkey Creek (in coastal Gulfport, Mississippi), I tried to imagine how a brief satirical “news” segment might shed light on a story I take seriously, and one that I've been documenting on video for more than a decade (read about the Turkey Creek documentary here). [...Read more]

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Leah Mahan

Watch: The Daily Show features historic Turkey Creek, Mississippi

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Bridge The Gulf

Are We Winning the Gulf Future?

As the dust settles around President Obama's State of the Union, and the two Republican speeches it inspired, I'm left a bit dazed.  How does the worst oil spill in U.S. history, which occurred just 9 months ago, fail to secure a mention?

  [...Read more]

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Aaron Viles

Scientists found chemical dispersants lingering in Gulf long after oil flow stopped

Chemical compounds from the oil dispersants applied to the Gulf of Mexico didn't break down as expected , according to a study released this week. [...Read more]

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Bridge The Gulf