Re: New Orleans elects first white mayor in 32 years, Houston gets to (All about celebrities)

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Re: New Orleans elects first white mayor in 32 years, Houston gets to

Posted on: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 23:12:36 +0000 (UTC)

On Feb 8, 1:16=A0pm, "Leroy N. Soetoro"
wrote:
> http://rawstory.com/2010/02/orleans-elects-white-mayor-32-years/
>
> NEW ORLEANS New Orleans has elected its first white mayor in 32 years,
> ushering in hopes of a new era in a city still trying to rebuild five
> years after Hurricane Katrina.
>
> Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu was elected Saturday to replace
> outgoing Mayor Ray Nagin, an African-American who led the city during the
> hurricane, but saw his popularity plunge over the slow pace of
> reconstruction.
>
> "The people of New Orleans did a very extraordinary thing... striking a
> blow for unity," Landrieu said after his nearest rival businessman Troy
> Henry conceded defeat.
>
> Landrieu, a Democrat, becomes the city's first white mayor since his
> father "Moon" Landrieu left the office in 1978. The city is 61 percent
> black.
>
> Landrieu lost an earlier bid to unseat Nagin in 2006. Nagin could not run
> for re-election because of the term limits.
>
> With all the votes counted, Landrieu led with a commanding 66.5 percent o=
f
> the vote. "To all my opponents, I understand how it feels to lose. It
> happened to me twice before," Landrieu said.
>
> His closest competitor, businessman Henry, a black Democrat with extensiv=
e
> corporate experience, finished with only 12.8 percent of the vote.
>
> Another important rival, millionaire businessman John Georges, conceded
> defeat when he was running in third place less than an hour after the
> polls closed.
>
> Landrieu beat out 10 other candidates in the quest to replace Nagin, the
> much-maligned city leader during the killer storm of August 29, 2005 who
> has also governed during the often-spotty recovery.
>
> "I wasn't extremely happy with any of the candidates, but at least the
> change will be good. I love it here. There's no place like it," said
> Kellen Smith, 27, a voter who moved to New Orleans from Atlanta three
> years ago.
>
> She was adorned with strings of Carnival beads being thrown from floats o=
n
> the day the Big Easy also officially ushered in the start of the parade
> season ahead of Mardi Gras on February 16.
>
> Thomas Overton, 32, stood on a nearby street corner waving a campaign sig=
n
> toward voters and revelers alike as the floats went by.
>
> "This is my first New Orleans election and my first Carnival parade," sai=
d
> Overton, a native of the midwestern city of St. Louis. "It's the luck of
> the draw that I got this corner."
>
> Overton said he moved here for a construction job several years after
> Katrina flooded most of the city, killing nearly 1,000 people.
>
> The city's population is estimated at 335,000, or 80 percent of pre-
> Katrina levels. But tens of thousands of New Orleanians have not returned
> permanently since the storm.
>
> A local named Ralph Ampey propped up a giant red sign for a city council
> candidate, as masked float riders showered cheering crowds with beads,
> doubloons and toys.
>
> "Everybody feels like they have to have hope," Ampey said of the election=
.
> "Whatever they lost in the storm -- homes, furniture, property -- they
> hope they can get again."
>
> The new mayor must manage billions of dollars in tardy federal
> reconstruction aid and a balanced, but depleted, city treasury. Moreover,
> city hall and the police department are rife with scandals.
>
> Violent crime remains high, and according to the state treasurer is
> keeping potential investors away from the still-rebuilding city.
>
> On Saturday, however, voters spoke hopefully about the city's future as
> they divided time between Carnival parades and polling places.
>
> At least one polling site faced the Pontchartrain parade route near the
> historic St. Charles Avenue streetcar line in Uptown New Orleans.
>
> Voters wearing Carnival beads came and went. Many cast ballots at
> computerized machines, bought food, drinks and outside -- beer -- to
> benefit school activities, then returned to watch the passing parade.
>
> "Food, beer and voting -- all in one place -- and bathrooms," said Paul
> Gregory, a computer consultant and native of the city. "Hopefully, no one
> will be voting drunk."
>
> "The city has nowhere to go but up," Chris Dougherty said.
>
> Local voting official Joe Broussard said the parades had started at noon,
> six hours after the polls opened. "We haven't had any complaints from
> voters -- not yet," Broussard said.
>
> --
> Nancy Pelosi, Democrat criminal, accessory before and after the fact, to
> House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel of New York's
> million dollar tax evasion. =A0Charles B. Rangel is still under
> "investigation" by a "closed door" House Ethics Committee.
>
> --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: n...@netfront.net ---

So even though according to the Saints owner "New Orleans is back",
they aren't sending buses for their Houston visitors to return? I
understand that Houston's violent crime has gone through the roof.

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