Associated Press:
If the roof comes off of the New Orleans Superdome again tomorrow night, it'll be caused by the cheers of the football fans inside -- and not by a hurricane.
That's the prediction of the arena's manager, Glenn Menard, as officials prepare to reopen the indoor stadium for the first time since it became an emergency shelter during Hurricane Katrina more than a year ago.
Yup. The Superdome's up and running -- New Orleans is back, baby!
Look, I'm not saying this isn't a legitimate story. But it's a story with a context and the context isn't being reported. The Superdome got a big boost from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), reports New Orleans' Times-Picayune:
The team sidestepped another financial obstacle in late January when it expedited a $91 million repair payment from FEMA. The process normally takes 60 to 90 days, but Dome officials needed the money immediately to start construction. The State Facility of Planning and Control, which oversees all construction projects, will not allow work to begin until cash is in place. To cut the red tape in Washington, Dome officials enlisted Tagliabue and U.S. Sen. David Vitter. On Feb. 28 -- Fat Tuesday -- Thornton received a call that the money was on its way. The work could begin.
Other people weren't so lucky. Residents of the Lower 9th Ward -- Katrina's 'Ground Zero' in New Orleans -- are still waiting for reconstruction. Over one year after it was destroyed, the Houston Chronicle reports that reconstruction is still in the planning stages.
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Tags: news politics katrina Louisiana FEMA disaster media Superdome New Orleans
