Note[]
This is long and may need to be shortened. Please bear with me. Feel free to give any advice.
Origins[]
On 29 August 2005, the world's worst natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina, happened. The storm and the resulting flood caused several thousand casualties and two billion dollars of damage in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, although the majority of the destruction was centered around New Orleans. In the next few years, the affected areas were rebuilt. The capital used to fund the progress came from insurance companies, private charities, and the Federal Government. The recovery of the affected areas was managed by FEMA. Its slow progress and errors in the recovery caused discontent amongst the people of the affected area, especially New Orleans. However, people became less weary over time. Many people received aid from the State and Federal Governments to rebuild their homes and businesses.
In the fall of 2008, the New Orleans City Council, along with the Louisiana State Legislature, passed a series of reforms to strengthen the city's economy, housing situation, crime, infrastructure, and overall appearance. The State enacted programs to draw business and tourism to the city, build a Mass Transit System, and expand the ports. On 29 August 2008, the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans City Council passed two new bills into law. The first of these, The New Orleanian Recovery Act, allowed the city to claim all abandoned, hazardous, or dilapidated property within its borders; to enforce maintenance of private property; and to demolish the remaining housing projects in the city. The second bill, The Business Renewal Act, gave the individuals and companies the authority to build any type of legal business in the city. With these two laws, many businesses came to the area; including casinos. The taxes gave the city millions for improvements in the education system, crime, and infrastructure. By the end of 2009, things were starting to look hopeful.
In fall of 2009, mayoral elections took place in the City of New Orleans. Many well-known and powerful individuals ran for the office of mayor. The three main contenders in the race were Businessman John Georges (R), Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu (D), and New Orleans City Councilman James Carter (D) the only African-American in the race. Despite Landrieu’s connections with Louisiana politics, his father being Mayor in the 1970’s, and his support from the “aristocracy” of New Orleans, he placed third in the primary election. Georges and Carter received 35% and 34% of the vote, respectively while Landrieu received 29%. After his defeat, Landrieu supported Georges, which gave him an advantage in the month before the run-off. Despite Carter’s support from the local chapter of the NAACP and many local ministers, he lost to Georges by two percent of the popular vote. For the first time in twenty-two years, a non African-American was elected mayor in New Orleans. On the same day, retired Lt. General Russell Honoré, former commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, was elected Sherriff of Orleans Parish. He ran on his popularity for commanding the Military presence in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
After these men were elected and inaugurated in May of 2010, the sun shone brighter on New Orleans, at least for a while. The 2010 Hurricane Season was one of the most active seasons in twenty years. This, along with violent weather around most of North America, caused trouble and strife for everyone.
This is a work in progress. Please do not judge this uncompleted work. It will come together in time. Thank you.