The Best and the Worst of the Week
"R.O.S.E.
Award" winnersfor 2003, as designated by the Friends of the New Orleans Recreation Department, are Gary and Martha Solomon (Outstanding Philanthropist), the National Park Service (Outstanding Leader in Corporate Philanthropy), and Elwood Cahill (Outstanding Board of Trustee). "Recognition of Significant Effort" Awards are bestowed annually for outstanding leadership in parks and recreation.
ERACE,
whose slogan, "Eracism," has become a fixture on New Orleans bumper stickers,
was honored by Mayor Ray Nagin, who marked the local nonprofit's 10-year anniversary
by proclaiming Nov. 15 "Eracism Day" in New Orleans. Erace works to address
and improve race relations in the city, via twice-weekly dialogue groups that
meet to discuss relevant social issues.
Local
"Stewardship Award" winners
for outstanding community service were recently announced by the Catholic Campaign
for Human Development. They are: the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, for clean-air
activism and refinery reform; Sister Helen Prejean, for her work toward a moratorium
on capital punishment; and the Jim Dunn Center for Anti-Racist Community Organizing,
a leadership school for grassroots organizers.
Louis Armstrong International Airport, the Regional
Transit Authority, and the Orleans Levee Board
have "disadvantaged business enterprise" programs riddled with abuse and federal
violations, says a report by the U.S. Transportation Dept. DBE programs steer
work to companies owned by minorities and women. The federal probe said some
of the agencies didn't perform required site visits, and also approved businesses
that were ineligible for the program -- or weren't even legitimate companies.
