The tremendous destruction caused by Atlantic tropical cyclones, such as Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, caused a substantial upsurge in interest in the field of global warming. Time Magazine, for instance, published an article titled, “Is Global Warming Fueling Katrina?” — However, the article itself addressed hurricanes in a general manner, rather than Katrina specifically, and was inconclusive.

Soon after the Katrina hit, former Boston Globe reporter Ross Gelbspan wrote an op-ed piece for the Globe titled, “Katrina’s Real Name”, declaring that the hurricane’s “real name is global warming.” Gelbspan asserted: “Although Katrina began as a relatively small hurricane that glanced off south Florida, it was supercharged with extraordinary intensity by the relatively blistering sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico.”

However Gelbspan did not single out Katrina from other recent storms in that regard; in the article he went on to attribute other major weather events over the preceding year to global warming, including a blizzard in Los Angeles, high winds in Scandinavia, wildfires in Spain, and a drought centered in Missouri.

GULFPORT, Mississippi — A former 25-year-old Gulfport man now living in Texas has pleaded guilty in a Hurricane Katrina-fraud case and awaits sentencing.

The Sun Herald reports that Joshua C. Allen of San Antonio faces up to 5 years in prison for making a fake claim to FEMA for disaster benefits.

An indictment named Joshua C. Allen as a coconspirator in a scheme to defraud the government through false claims and statements. Joshua C. Allen and his wife, Amber Allison, claimed they lived in Gulfport when the hurricane katrina struck. U.S. Attorney Donald R. Burkhalter said they did not.

Joshua C. Allen and his wife, Amber Allison received $2,000 from FEMA and $965 from the American Red Cross. Amber Allison has not yet been prosecuted.

Joshua C.Allen entered his guilty plea Monday. His sentencing is set for July 27.

Deadly tornadoes struck across the Southeastern U.S.  on Saturday, causing damages so bad that Mississippi Governor  Haley Barbour called the destruction “Katrina-like.”

At least 10 people were killed in Mississippi alone, with storm damage reported from Missouri to Georgia.
Yazoo City, Mississippi, was particularly hard hit. Haley Barbour grew up in Yazoo and has a home north of the city.

Emergency responders combed the ruubble Saturbay night to ensure all of the storm survivors had been found.

Gregg Flynn of the MS Emergency Management Agency, said at least 2 of the dead were children.

The Salvation Army has dispatched mobile feeding units to Yazoo and Warren counties. In the meantime, emergency responders were continuing the send the most seriously residents injured in the storms to hospitals in Jackson.

“We’re serving hot meals, coffee, cold drinks and spiritual counseling,” Salvation Army Capt. Ken Chapman told the Clarion Ledger in Jackson. “We’re equipped to serve 1000s,” he added.

A state of emergency was ordered by the governor in 17 Mississippi counties. Haley Barbour also ordered the state National Guard to help local municipalities in emergency response efforts.

Although Mississippi appeared to have the most seriously damaged Saturday, severe weather was also reported in the St. Louis, Missouri, area and Louisiana. Winds up to 60 mph were reported in Cobb County, Georgia.

The storm surge produced by Hurricane Katrina caused harmful substances to be released in volumes nearing the well-known 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.

That’s according to a recently released report from the Society for Risk Analysis which is calling for better “risk-based” designs for oil as well as chemical storage facilities in the future.

The report says about 8-million gallons of petroleum was released when Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf coast in 2005.

That alone was about 75 % of the amount of oil spilled in Alaska.

Most of the oil leaked from storage tanks that failed, while a few spills were created by the shut down and restarting of production processes.

There were other, smaller releases of harmful substances from chemical and manufacturing plants onshore and in the Gulf.

Federal investigators charged one more New Orleans police officer in connection to the Danziger Bridge shootings, in which 2 civilians were killed and 4 were wounded in the days after Hurricane Katrina. The Danziger Bridge shootings are among a cord of violent post-Katrina police encounters we have investigated in collaboration with PBS “Frontline” and the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Officer Robert Barrios, who was charged with conspiring to obstruct justice, became the 4th police officer charged in the case, and the 5th person overall. 3 former officers have already pleaded culpable to charges related to the shooting. Barrios reportedly resigned from the force shortly after being charged.

Marion David Ryder, a civilian who impersonated a police officer the day of the gunfire, also was indicted this month on charges of lying to federal agents also unlawful possession of a handgun.

The charge against Robert Barrios came in a bill of information, which is only allowed in cases where the defendant has waived the requirement that a grand jury issue charges. That normally indicates the defendant is cooperating with the case.

The Times-Picayune reports that Robert Barrios was in the back of a vehicle with 4 other officers when they responded to a report that officers were shot as on Interstate 10, which is parallel with the Danziger Bridge.

NEW ORLEANS - A Hammond woman has pleaded culpable in federal court to fraud charges linked to aid she received after Katrina.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten says 35-year-old Quiana Selders entered the plea on Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman to one count of wire fraud.

Quiana Selders, according to court documents, admitted fraudulently applying for disaster assistance on 6 occasions between September and October 2005. The Red Cross made disaster aid of up to $1,565 available to those affected by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita on a one-time only basis. In all, officials say, Quiana Selders illegally obtained $7,590 from the relief agency.

The single count carries up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

GULFPORT, Mississippi - A federal judge has sentenced a Georgia woman to prison for defrauding Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of money for disaster housing assistance.

30-year-old Zhioukellia Brown of Atlanta will serve 21 months in prison. She also must refund FEMA $10,650 for help she wasn’t eligible to get after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The Sun Herald reports U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden sentenced Zhioukellia Brown on Thursday and ordered 3 years’ probation once she’s out of prison.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Zhioukellia Brown is one of three people who falsely claimed they lived at the same apartment in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Zhioukellia Brown had lived in Pascagoula but admitted she was living in Georgia when Hurricane Katrina struck.

AUSTIN, Texas - Students displaced by 2005’s Hurricane Katrina are making academic gains in Texas schools.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released results of a study that tracked the progress of Katrina students.

Hurricane Katrina devastated coastal states in August 2005, sending more than 46,000 young evacuees from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida to Texas public schools.

TEA reported Tuesday that the children who were studied performed slightly better than their Texas peers in the same demographic groups.

When compared with all Texas students, the Katrina students do as well or better than the Texans on reading performance also the gap in mathematic performance narrowed substantially.

Gulfport, Mississippi  — Authorities say a couple pleaded guilty to defrauding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of more than $26,000 in Hurricane Katrina recovery money in Mississippi.

A news release from the U.S. attorney’s office, south Mississippi says Paul Allen and Mary Hardy, also known as Mary Allen, submitted fake documents to FEMA about their residency in Gulfport.

Prosecutors say Paul Allen made claims for 2 fake addresses.

The release says the 45-year-old woman and 56-year-old man now survive in San Antonio, Texas.

They pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.

The Allens each face a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison when sentenced in July.

Nearly 5 years after Hurricane Katrina, Keesler Air Force Base is about to open a new 275,000- sq ft commissary and base exchange.

Keesler spokesman Jonathan Hicks says on-base shopping has been in temporary buildings as shortly after the Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.

He says a food court opened in the new $64.5 million building while work sustained on other areas.

He says the new commissary as well as base exchange will open for business after the ceremony on April 6. It will also comprise a shopping mall and pharmacy.