Katrina +5

A recent Brookings Institute report has some pretty positive things to say about New Orleans.

• "Since 2005, New Orleanians have arguably undertaken more major reforms simultaneously than any other modern American city,''
• "The metro area had recovered more than 90 percent of its population and 85 percent of its jobs as of June,"
• For the first time since the mid-1980s, average wages here caught up to the national average.

More on the report and other New Orleans information from Brookings here.

Free speech claim alleged

LSU professor sues for retaliation and violation of his free speech rights. Ivor van Heerden claims his firing resulted from his criticism of the Corps of Engineers, including its culpability for Katrina levee failures. Suit is filed in state court. Good move by the Plaintiff's counsel. I don't see this surviving summary judgement in federal court.