May 21, 2010
Councilmember Fielkow helps cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the Wisner Playground in Uptown
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Councilmember Fielkow speaks to the Police Athletic League
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Councilmember Fielkow and his family present check to President of Honduras Porfirio Lobo Sosa
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New Orleans, LA - May 21, 2010 - Hello friends,
This spring finds new growth all over the city, but especially in City Hall, where a new mayoral administration and several new Councilmembers are settling in. My office is enjoying a good working relationship with Mr. Landrieu and his staff, and I look forward to a productive term working together with all my new colleagues to strengthen the city.
I am deeply saddened by the tragic events that continue to plague our coast. I extend my sympathies to the men and women that are directly affected by the Deepwater Horizon explosion. We are closely monitoring the progress of the oil containment and clean-up.
Recently I proposed two resolutions that the City Council passed, giving our support to Senator Mary Landrieu's efforts on behalf of those affected. We support her initiative of getting 37.5% of oil revenue that the federal government collects from leases in the Gulf Coast region to go immediately to the states that share the greatest amount of risk, but have been asked to defer the bulk of that reward until some time in the future; under current rules, this rate of revenue-sharing will not be established until 2017. The other resolution supports her initiative to urge the Small Business Administration to provide specific relief for small businesses along the coast, including temporary deferment of payments on existing disaster loans.
Despite this ecological setback, my office continues to move forward with scheduled events. We are busy finalizing the details for our June 2nd trip to Birmingham, during which 130 middle school students from a diverse array of New Orleans neighborhoods will attend the 15th Annual Rickwood Baseball Classic. I am excited to show these kids Rickwood Field, where baseball legends like Babe Ruth, Satchel Paige and Willie Mays played. As America's oldest ballpark, it is a significant part of our sports history. Immediately following the minor league baseball game, the students will be taken on private, guided tours of the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum, the 16th Street Baptist Church, and the University of Alabama football complex, before returning to New Orleans that evening. Many thanks to the sponsors that made this trip possible. (Click here to view a News Release about this trip)
This trip to Birmingham, as well as my continued efforts to strengthen the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD), underscores my belief in the importance of youth recreation. On Thursday, May 20, I spoke with over 200 law enforcement officials from around the country regarding the importance of the Police Athletic League (PAL). PAL is a recreation-oriented juvenile crime prevention program that relies on athletics to tighten the bond between police officers and kids in the community. The NOPD is celebrating their second year of involvement with PAL, and I hope to see more and more similar programs develop as NORD facilities improve. Major NORD reform is underway; I will report in more detail in two weeks.
As many of you know, I am also committed to children outside of New Orleans and the U.S. My wife Susan and I recently presented a check for $5,000 to the Hogar de Niņos Santa Maria de los Angeles, an orphanage in Honduras. This check follows the extended visit of the President of Honduras Porfirio Lobo Sosa to New Orleans in late April. The visit re-energized the sister city agreement, which was signed in 2002, between New Orleans and Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I am ever hopeful that His Excellency's time in New Orleans - during which he met representatives in the fields of higher education, medical facilities and emergency preparedness, among others - will increase the bond between us. It was a wonderful visit, and I am pleased to announce that we even had time for a few traditional New Orleans activities, like eating crawfish in my backyard and attending Jazz Fest!
With the kids out of school, we are looking forward to a long Memorial Day weekend. Let's hope the weather holds!
Your City Council President,
Arnie Fielkow
Contact:
Danielle Viguerie
Office of Councilmember-at-Large Arnie Fielkow
Ph: 504-658-1063
daviguerie@cityofno.com
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