Brian,
I watched your report from Waveland, MS tonight.  Since we have family in Waveland and Bay St. Louis, I wanted to make a comment about something I've never seen reported about the comeback in that region.
Our family have rebuilt and stayed in both cities, but it wasn't the government or insurance or any of those entities that helped them.  Churches from around the country have sent hundreds of volunteers who have completely gutted and re-built their homes.
I wish you would talk to some of the people who would have nothing if it weren't for the churches in Ohio, PA, North Carolina, Georgia, and many, many other states.  I am mentioning the ones I know about personally.
The gentleman who is in the hospital, that is the same thing our relatives have gone through because of the mold, dirt, and unknowns washed up when the waters took away their homes, cars, furniture, and those WONDERFUL FEMA trailers and their chemicals.
We think credit should be given where credit is due; to the thousands of volunteers from churches who have helped so many people get their lives back together.

I fully expect that this is the last time America will get a look at the devastation on the Gulf Coast.  Not their problem.  I am totally disgusted with my own country.  Our story is one of studied  neglect.  Once this country stood for right vs. wrong.  Now all it stands for is right vs. left.

Good Evening Mr.Williams, It is amazing how some parts of Mississippi have changed and some seem to be frozen in time. The look of the Casinos certainly appears better and the fact they can build on land proves to be great advantage. Yet is was hard to see someone who lives not far from the booming casino having such a difficult time. In your conversation with Mrs.Smolensky it proves that people are determined to rebuild because this is home. After living there for Fifty Years one can understand why they would not want to move. When you walked through the community center and showed things like the videotape that was there two years ago and the hanging wires and peeling walls still showing. One can only hope it can be restored and made better. On another note the devastation in Greece by those terrible fires is awful. Maria's look at the family home and the smoldering embers was sad to see. It was nice they found the old water bottles and poured it on the hot coals. One hopes for the best for everyone to start anew and rebuild to be better. Thank you for the broadcast Mr.Williams. See you in New Orleans on Wednesday. Peace to all!  

Guess with that parting shot, your now an official hole in the wall gang accredited member. Carry fourth alway's with dignity and honor. Nice work considering ya' all had nearly nothing to work with. Perhaps with persuasion some interviews perhaps even an exclusive will materialize with those in charge locally. Everyone knows what the locals are enduring, who is doing what, when and how? Where is the money? Looking forward to some excellent pieces.

Thanks for coming back to Mississippi, Brian. The dedication of Mississippians in their effort to rebuild should be studied an example of the positive effects of volunteerism and independence. You're always welcome here.

I agree with the people above.  Our country is more worried about rebuilding Iraq than it`s own people.  You take our tax money and send it over seas while our own tax paying people sleep in FEMA trailers for 2 or more years.  I have family that live in Waveland and are still waiting on homes.  Mr. Bush has forgotten his own people trying to kiss every bodies back side over seas.  Let`s take care of our own first then the rest.  With the gas prices we pay for overseas oil they should be able to rebuild there selves.  They are the ones that keep blowing up there own back yard.  Rebuild Waveland NOW!!!!!!!!!

Brian it' nice to hear some good news about the Katrina storm rebuilding.  I know it will take a long time but it's better then nothing. Thank you for keeping the need for help alive.

Senator Craig isn't Gay but he does have relationships with men. He knew exactly what to do and most people would have been clue less.  So many years with stories but never caught.  Brian years ago when people had to hide who they were, men would marry a woman with kids to cover up the truth. Things have changed so much now. How many GOP officials will come to light about their acts. I noticed the Mitt had no feeling with his comments about Senator Craig with his problem.  I guess Mitt only wants to use people not be friends or support them in their time of need.  

I noticed that every since Bush Sr. was with the President with all his visits with foreign leaders things have been happening.  Bush Sr. had some say in Rove and Gonzales leaving.  I think Bush Sr. will be the one who picks the new Attorney General.  Now I know who the best person is but I wouldn't want him to work under this corrupt Administration.  I think the best man to be AG is Patrick J. Fitzgerald. Maybe under the new Administration.

Your report of the missing weapons is interesting. How much more of taxpayers money has been given to the enemy or sold.  I notice the military is steering this away from General Petraeus before his report. Just how much money has been stolen, wasted or given away by this Administration.

PM Maliki invited the President of Iran to visit Iraq.  That's not good for the Bush Administration. Now I noticed President Bush is using any horror to make Americans fear the unknown. It's like Bush is in the Twilight Zone.  

Hi Brian and all, I'm Jane and Louie Smolensky's daughter Sara Ford.  

Wow, there's just something surreal about hearing your mom's voice on national news.  Argh!! I should have just jumped on a plane over the weekend and gone home, despite the crutches (recent knee injury).  Just seeing everyone on TV made me wish I could have been down there with my family.  Katrina has made me quite homesick for both the places and people I can still go back to and especially the places and people that I will never see again.

I'm glad you showed the Waveland Civic Center (that yellow brick building) right next door to the newly build playground.  The first time i saw it, i was stunned.  it's crazy how you can have regrowth in one spot, and just turn your head slightly and see complete devastation in the next immediate spot. Or how one house can be completely rebuilt next to another house completely destroyed.  I tried so many times to capture this contrast with my camera, but you need more than a thousand words to ever hope of describing it.

Thanks for the link to my blog!  I'm just so glad, excited, relieved (not sure how to describe this emotion of "knowing your pain, your family's pain, and your hometown's - your people's - pain is being acknowledged") that my small little hometown of Waveland voice is being heard.  *Thank you* so much for this follow up.

I'll post more on my blog tonight (http://blogs.msdn.com/saraford) after I've had some time to let all of this sink in out here in Seattle.

Something really disgusting appeared on TV in the news, a new gambling casino in Mississippi, rising in the midst of apparent squalor, most of it the result of hurricane Katrina.

These edifices appear to hae replaced the cathedrals of Medieval times, exotic and unbearably attractive, seats of worship and the enrichment of the soul.

Although I am a gambler, I found this new monstrosity unbearably pathetic, the true modern answer to a life of poverty.  

The Waveland, MS piece was excellent!  I hope by the 5th anniversary of Katrina we'll see that the city was completely rebuilt...especially their main street.  

There are people who still care two years later, but we don't know how to effectively volunteer.  Without ties to churches, etc., how can I physically assist without getting in the way.  I am not a carpenter, but could paint, etc.  I was in Waveland with the Red Cross a month after Katrina hit and know first hand the devastation the area suffered.  I know others who also would like to help.

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