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I N S I D E
VOL. 1, NO. 7
I N S I D E
AUG. 2015
THINKING ABOUT TODAY, PREPARING FOR TOMORROW
and MGM special issue on Diversity BUILDING EXCITEMENT.
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Robert Johnson Talks Business and More, Pg. 15
Will U.S. Ban Menthol Cigarettes? Pg. 18
Vol. 50, No. 46 Aug 27 - Sept 2 , 2015
District Infatuated with Compton Film, Pg. 24
BACK TO
SCHOOL
The city of New Orleans, along with other cities near or on the Gulf Coast, was decimated with an estimated 2,000 people losing their lives when Hurricane Katrina unleashed its fury during the days of August 23 through August 31, 2005. /Courtesy photo
New Orleans Mayor Gives Report
Remembering Hurricane Katrina – Ten Years Later By Sarafina Wright and D. Kevin McNeir WI Staff Writer, WI Managing Editor How well do you remember the last days of August 2005 when a tropical storm formed over the Bahamas and intensified as it made its way toward Florida, back out to sea and then to southeast Louisiana? Hurricane Katrina would make history as one of costliest natural disasters and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. But what often comes to mind is the delay of government officials – several days in fact – before they heeded the call for sorely needed assistance in the way of food, water, medicine and shelter. Now, as the city of New Orleans recalls the day that the levee system catastrophically failed, conversations continue to
be held here in the District and across the U.S., assessing what progress has been made in rebuilding New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana and Mississippi – and what still needs to be done. Criticism has been lodged, and rightfully so, against Mayor Ray Nagin, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and President George W. Bush – the three leaders who hemmed and hawed – wasting vital time before initiating emergency response actions. Today, as former Mayor Nagin serves a federal ten-year sentence for wire fraud, conspiracy, bribery and money laundering, Mitch Landrieu, the first white mayor of predominately black New Orleans since his father Moon Landrieu held office in the 70s, has traversed the U.S. to talk about the hurricane on its tenth anniversary and how his city’s landscape has been changed
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Ginika Emor 8 and her sister Ebere Onyeaghala 5 arrive at Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Northwest on the first day back to school on Mon., August 24. /Photo by Nancy Shia
Commission Rejects Proposed Merger Pepco/Exelon Deal Deemed Bad for District By D. Kevin McNeir WI Managing Editor The D.C. Public Service Commission [PSC] held an open meeting in Northwest on Tuesday, Aug. 25 with an outcome that apparently left some residents and leaders “shocked and surprised.” After months of forums, community conversations, editorials and sometimes even protests, the PSC took all of the information into account and made its decision on the proposed Pep-
co-Exelon merger, denying their application – and with sweeping results. Because of the Commission’s decision, other jurisdictions where the merger had been approved, including Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, must now contend with the fact that their decisions have been made null and void. D.C. stands as the only jurisdiction to deny the application of Pepco/Exelon. However, for the merger to have become legal and binding, all jurisdictions
would have had to approve. Commission Chairman Betty Ann Kane summarized the views of her and her two colleagues, Commissioner Joanne Doddy Fort and Commissioner Willie L. Phillips. “The public policy of the District is that the local electric company should focus solely on providing safe, reliable and affordable distribution service to District residences, businesses and institutions,” she said during the meeting that drew over 100
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