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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>CHATNews: <SPAN> State Appeals </SPAN>Documents Withheld from Public-; also, CHAT to be honored in parade</FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Jan. 23, 2010</FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Dear CHAT Members,</FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: red; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><FONT face=Calibri><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN><FONT color=#000000>Ø</FONT></SPAN></SPAN>The Incredible Saga of Secrecy, Public Documents, and the LRA </FONT></SPAN></B>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 22.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><FONT size=3><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">Chapter 3</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">:<SPAN> </SPAN>D</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">ocuments provided by the in-house LRA attorney, Dan Reese,<SPAN> </SPAN>on Mar. 2, 2009</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"></SPAN></STRONG></FONT>
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<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN><FONT size=3>§</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><FONT size=3><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">These were the first documents provided by LRA after notification that we would have to file for a court hearing because LRA was ignoring my record requests for many months</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"></SPAN></STRONG></FONT>
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<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN><FONT size=3>§</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><SPAN><FONT size=3> </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><A rel=nofollow name=_Hlk252032250></A><A href="http://chatushome.com/chatusfiles/LRA_AttnyDanRees_Response_Email_to_PublicRecordsRequest_3_2_09.pdf" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT size=3><SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">Mr. Reese sent a letter on Mar. 2, 2009 to my lawyer with some of<SPAN> </SPAN>the missing documents requested on Oct. 20, 2008</SPAN></B></SPAN><SPAN></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT size=3><SPAN><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"> </SPAN></STRONG></SPAN></FONT>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT size=3><SPAN><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"></SPAN></STRONG></SPAN><SPAN><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"></SPAN></STRONG></SPAN></FONT><SPAN></SPAN>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN><FONT size=3>§</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>His letter addressed none of the many missing documents from my records request on July 1, 2008 </FONT></SPAN></STRONG>
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<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN><FONT size=3>§</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Still I had received none of the documents requested on Dec. 15, 2008 and the letter did not even mention those requests</FONT></SPAN></STRONG>
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<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN><FONT size=3>§</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><A href="http://chatushome.com/chatusfiles/StateAppeals%20Procedure_ForApplicantDeadlines_Provided_By_LRA_AttnyDanRees_3_2_09.pdf" target=_blank rel=nofollow><B><FONT size=3>One of the documents provided was a description I had already received about the timeline for State Appeals</FONT></B></A></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"></SPAN></STRONG>
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<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 57pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"><SPAN><FONT size=3>o</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>The State Appeal Panel is the final appeals that LRA allows applicants</FONT></SPAN></STRONG>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 57pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"><SPAN><FONT size=3>o</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Mr. Rainwater and Mr. Rees failed to provide what was clearly requested, guidelines & procedures for the State Appeals Panel</FONT></SPAN></STRONG>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 57pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"><SPAN><FONT size=3>o</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #5f497a; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">“</SPAN></STRONG><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #5f497a; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">Provide any and all policy, guideline, and procedure documents given to members of the State Review Panel, appeals advisors, and PALs for resolving dispute or appeals issues.”</SPAN></B>
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<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN><FONT size=3>§</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><FONT size=3><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">So LRA was still withholding a document with rules for how to decide applicants’ appeals about mistakes in their grants</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: SimSun"></SPAN></STRONG></FONT>
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<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"><SPAN><FONT size=3>o</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><FONT size=3><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">They were thereby keeping secret whether shortchanging grant calculation mistakes were considered with consistent or fair methods by State staff</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: SimSun"></SPAN></STRONG></FONT>
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<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"><SPAN>o<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>These mistakes averaged over $25,000 per applicant for ~7,500 applicants who managed to win appeals </FONT></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">(see road2la.com, pipeline reports)</SPAN></STRONG>
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<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"><SPAN><FONT size=3>o</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Was there a vote by the State Appeals Panel to decide an appeal?</FONT></SPAN></STRONG>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"><SPAN><FONT size=3>o</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Did it have to be unanimous for an appeal to be granted?</FONT></SPAN></STRONG>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"><SPAN><FONT size=3>o</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>What were the guidelines for weighing applicant evidence vs.<SPAN> </SPAN>evidence from the notoriously mistake-prone contractor, ICF International?</FONT></SPAN></STRONG>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Chapters 1 & 2 in our series “The Incredible Saga of Secrecy, Public Documents, and the LRA” are posted near the top of our CHAT website </FONT></SPAN></STRONG>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"> <A href="http://chatushome.com" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face=Calibri>http://chatushome.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Calibri> </FONT></SPAN></B>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><FONT face=Calibri> </FONT></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: red; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>Ø<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: red; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'">CHAT will be honored at the Mardi Gras-season parade of the Krewe of Brid</SPAN></B>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</SPAN></B><FONT size=3> </FONT></FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Thursday, January 21, 2010</SPAN> </FONT></FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri><SPAN style="COLOR: black"> </SPAN> <SPAN style="COLOR: black">Contact: Mary Hogan, High Priestess, Krewe of Brid</SPAN> </FONT></FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><A href="http://us.mc453.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kreweofbrid@yahoo.com" target=_blank rel=nofollow><SPAN class=yshortcuts><SPAN id=lw_1264311234_0><FONT face=Calibri color=#0000ff size=3>kreweofbrid@ yahoo.com</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><FONT face=Calibri size=3> </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri><FONT size=3> </FONT><B><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Brid Marches as “Pothole Patrol”</SPAN></I></B><FONT size=3> </FONT></FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3> The Krewe of Brid, Lakeview’s own carnival marching club, pays homage to the city’s streets with its 2010 theme “Pothole Patrol.” Brid will march 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 29. The route begins on Milne at Conrad (near Mount Carmel Academy), heads south to Harrison Avenue, then turns east on Harrison Avenue to end at Gen. Haig (near the site of Hynes Elementary). </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3> The krewe is named in honor of three ancient Celtic goddesses each named Brid. Three local women have been selected to represent the Three Brids: </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3> <B>Melanie Ehrlich, <EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'">Brid of the Forge - Goddess of Strength & Justice</SPAN></EM></B> Dr. Ehrlich is a professor of genetics, whose Tulane Medical School lab does research on muscular dystrophy and cancer. She is the founder of <B><SPAN style="BACKGROUND: yellow; COLOR: red">CHAT</SPAN></B> - Citizens' Road Home Action Team. By successfully advocating for many improvements in the Road Home Program, CHAT has helped thousands of Louisianaians rebuild their homes. </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3> <B>Stephanie Bruno, <I>Brid of the Spirit - Goddess of Arts & Letter</I></B><I> </I>Stephanie is a champion of New Orleans’ neighborhoods. She writes a weekly series in the Times-Picayune spotlighting the cultural and architectural features of our neighborhoods. Stephanie has dedicated her energy and spirit to preserving our traditions for future generations. </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3> <B>Laura LeBon,<I> Brid of the Hearth</I> <I>- Goddess of Home & Hearth</I></B><I> </I><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Laura is mother of two boys and an architect. She was caught mid-move from Old Metairie into West Lakeview when the levees failed in 2005. Laura rebuilt both homes, and volunteered for the Gulf Coast Information Center and </SPAN><B><SPAN style="BACKGROUND: yellow; COLOR: red">CHAT</SPAN></B><SPAN style="COLOR: black">. She is currently working on the Dream City community center, which will provide a safe environment for at-risk youth in the Greater New Orleans area to learn and play.</SPAN> </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3> Krewe members will be dressed in construction worker outfits, each customized with a feminine flair for fun. Other groups marching with Brid this year include crowd favorites Egg Yolk Jubilee Music Band, McTeggart Irish Dancers of Louisiana, and the Big Easy RollerGirls. Special guests are the 610 Stompers – New Orleans’ newest all-male dance troupe. </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri> Krewe of Brid’s third annual after party, <I>Party with the Goddess</I>, starts up at 9p. The party features dancing, food, and <SPAN lang=EN>Golden Goddess cocktails and burlesque girls. Tickets are $15 at the door.</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN> </SPAN></FONT></FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3> The Krewe of Brid honors the women of New Orleans who are using all of their talent, wisdom, love and strength to rebuild the neighborhoods of New Orleans. For more information about the parade, the party and the krewe, check out the Krewe of Brid’s web site, </FONT><A href="http://www.kreweofbrid.org/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face=Calibri color=#0000ff size=3>www.kreweofbrid. org</FONT></A><FONT face=Calibri size=3> </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><FONT face=Calibri size=3> _________________________________</FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><EM><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Brid’s talented Jenny Louis and Leslie Killian designed and created by themselves my enormous, beautiful yellow cape with embroidered ” CHAT” and<SPAN> </SPAN>“USHOME” and (for the genetics aficionados among our CHAT members) a plasmid DNA superhelix!</FONT> </EM>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><FONT face=Calibri> </FONT></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><FONT face=Calibri>Best wishes,</FONT></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><FONT face=Calibri>Melanie Ehrlich</FONT></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><FONT face=Calibri>Co-Chairman, Citizens’ Road Home Action Team (CHAT); </FONT><A href="http://chatushome.com/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face=Calibri>http://chatushome.com</FONT></A></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><FONT face=Calibri>Member, LRA Housing Task Force</FONT></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><FONT face=Calibri> </FONT></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><FONT face=Calibri>You can comment at:</FONT></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><SPAN><A href="http://www.chatushome.com/blog/?page_id=70" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face=Calibri color=#0000ff size=3>http://www.chatushome.com/blog/?page_id=70</FONT></A><FONT face=Calibri size=3> </FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=PT-BR style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><B><SPAN lang=PT-BR style="COLOR: #17365d"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2009/09/the-far-too-long-and-winding-road-home-program.html</FONT></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"></SPAN>
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