In six days, from last Wednesday to Monday, Governor Barbour's Commission on Renewal of the Mississippi Coast has produced eleven sets of guidelines and plans for reconstruction of each of the principal cities on the MS coast, as well as regional recommendations on zoning, transportation, and the environment. Jim Barksdale led this Commission and recruited people from the Congress of New Urbanists, Stefanos Polyzoides, Andres Duany, members of the Prince's Trust, and a host of excellent national talent. I attended several segments of this process and came away more optimistic than can be expressed about what the Coast could do to resurrect itself.  

The Gulf Coast is flooded with professionals eager to participate in the revival of coastal communities. Many community groups I have represented have worked on the vision thing for a long time. I have compiled some of the ideas from their discussions and put it together in this QuickTime slideshow. Click on the image or use the right arrow key to advance to the next slide Take a look--- 

Last week a tent full of coastal Mississippi politicians and insider businessmen received praise from President Bush for their “Can Do” attitude. “Do What?” is the question we should ask as we struggle to re-create our coast. To influence this answer, we must push our way into this tent now, for it will be too late before you know it. 

Dupont's Delisle TiO₂ Facility has been increasingly under scrutiny recently. Today, a local jury awarded a nearby resident $14 million in damages for causing his rare blood disorder, which experts linked to dioxin exposure from the plant. Meanwhile, Dupont asks our state air pollution agency for permission to further increase production at the facility.  

US Senator Thad Cochran announced this morning that he is going to seek a moratorium on drilling in federal waters near the Gulf Islands National Seashore. If the state legislature asks, he will work for a federal buyout of MS's offshore mineral rights to further protect the islands from drilling.  

Sunday's rally drew 3000 Coastians to hear Mississippi's Attorney General, numerous state legislative leaders, and experts weigh in on keeping the barrier islands free from drilling. Hundreds of elementary school art posters encircled the audience. It was a long hot day that marked the end of the beginning on this fight. 

A few days before thousands of people are expected to fill the Biloxi Coliseum to preserve barrier island parks from offshore drilling, Barbour and Lott react to the heat. Lott says he will prohibit drilling near the barrier islands but he wants to conduct seismic tests. He describes a coalition that includes Barbour's banker buddies and transition team members as well as environmentalists as "ridiculous" and the rally as something that does not intimidate.
Later that day, Barbour bends. 

about Delusional Drilling
This Sunday, August 21, 2005, at 3 pm, the Coast will convene a free public summit on why we should maintain our barrier islands and adjacent waters as a drill free zone. Agenda is available here. Seismic testing is happening at the three mile boundary.  

with Lott and Harris
The scene is Pascagoula's Lafont Inn, the occasion the Jackson County Republican Women's Founder's Day program, the guests of honor Sen. Trent Lott and Rep. Katherine Harris.
Talk turns to offshore drilling, and Harris explains . 

After 2 years of blogging, I have split off the political content from the personal blog.  

This freshwater creek springs up in Biloxi and threads its way through neighborhoods into Gulfport. It is a wonderful little thing. Video clip inside 

As a blogger, and when a thing like the London bombing happens, you wonder what is the point of doing this stuff. Then you read what London's Mayor said and somehow you want to straighten your spine, crack your knuckles, and keep knocking away. 

a must-see documentary 

Drilling leads the State Op-Ed page