God’s Katrina’s Kitchen and Clothe the People in Pass Christian, Mississippi, asked for specific donations Friday from relief groups, and a trucker heading back to the coast delivered 8 pallets of goods from the Birmingham City Action Partnership program warehouse, according to Laura K. Parenteau.

“We are expecting another shipment of diabetic supplies Wednesday or Thursday of this week and could use some help in putting kits together,” she said. “We are also working on first aid kits and still looking for people driving down to the coast to deliver diabetic kits.”

If you would like to volunteer in the warehouse on these activities call Laura at 251-0111 or email her at Capbham(at)aol(dot)com.

To volunteer on the coast in rebuilding contact any of the following organizations:

Habitat for Humanity
OHDResponse(at)habitat(dot)org

Urban Life Ministries
butch(at)mailatlanta(dot)net

Hands On USA
HandsOnBhm(at)aol(dot)com

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finally admitted failures in the design of New Orleans flood walls last week.

“We have now concluded we had problems with the design of the structure,” Lt. Gen. Carl Strock told a senate subcommittee. “We had hoped that wasn’t the case, but we recognize it is the reality.”

Experts from the National Science Foundation countered that potential problems have been known for some time. They cite a 1986 corps study that warned of just such floodwall failures. As New Orleans rebuilds, we must ensure that the nation learns the lessons of Katrina and that the possibility for future, similar Corps’ mistakes is addressed.

Legislation to do just that was recently introduced in the U.S. Senate. Called the Water Resources Planning and Modernization Act of 2006 (S. 2288), the bill will  update the Corps project-planning guidelines, require a strong independent review process, improve wetland management and shift the Corps’ priorities away from pork-barrel projects.

The Gulf Restoration Network is urging people to contact their senators and support this legislation and have set up this Web site to make it easy for you to send your comments here.

New Orleans residents who evacuated following the Katrina Hurricane disaster may contact the League of Women Voters to get important information prior to the primary election on April 22 and the general election May 20.

In the Birmingham, Alabama, area you can call (205) 583-5000 or visit the local league website at League of Women Voters of Birmingham or visit the League of Women Voters of Louisiana or New Orleans.

Thanks to Laura K. Parenteau of the City Action Partnership Hurricane relief effort.

In less than two weeks, New Orleans will hold city elections. But tens of thousands of citizens displaced by Hurricane Katrina may face difficulty in casting their ballots.

Louisiana officials have refused to set up satellite polling locations outside of Louisiana that could have made it easier for countless evacuees to have a say in setting the path for the future of their city, according to the People for the American Way.

“This will keep many from being able to cast a vote,” says Sharon J. Lettman, a spokesperson for the non-profit consumer group.

Fifteen NAACP Voter Assistance Centers are up and running in cities with large numbers of evacuees, she said. The group is still looking for volunteers in Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Memphis, Dallas and Houston.

Ånyone who wants to volunteer in one of these cities can sign up online at:
www.pfaw.org/go/KatrinaVolunteers.