This past week has been a bit of an uplifting week for St. Bernard Parish in several respects. We started last week with a return from a productive trip from Washington, D.C. from which we have already received support of some specific FEMA projects worth additional eligible funding in the range of 20+ million dollars just for road repairs. Then we celebrated the opening of the new Council on Aging building and the reopening of the renovated Government Complex. These were followed by a new movement initiated by our chamber with support from all aspects of the St. Bernard community to develop a multi-year campaign of celebrating St. Bernard in all of its accomplishments (and struggles) and people. Then the Hospital Service District made the land selection for the hospital project to move the project along. The week culminated with the Our Lady of Lourdes Ball and Super Dance returning home to St. Bernard Parish and helping the year long christening of the Fred Sigur, Jr. Ball Room with the first Ball to return since 2005.

With a week like this past one, it is hard not to be excited about our parish. No doubt, these events and milestones do not erase the many challenges we face, but what a boost it is to reach the next step on many projects and visions.

It is odd how these waves of enthusiasm tend to cluster together and touch commercial, government, and private citizen efforts just at the right time. I recently had the occasion to see a school performance of Willie Wonka and had forgotten what an inspirational message that the story line holds- Think Positive. No matter how many people fuel the flame of negativism or spend all their time justifying "why not", a week like this past one ignites a renewed sense of "we will".

With so much going on and the increase of many issues coming to a reality as well as so many individual questions related to every aspect of individual's psot K experiences, I have implemented a community forum schedule. These forums are designed to give residents an informal opportunity to sit down with the parish administration to clarify, question, and discuss most of what is going on around us and to network among residents about how they have found a way to forge ahead. These forums are scheduled on alternating months with the first one being held at PJ Coffee on Judge Perez on Thursday, February 19 at 6:30 p.m. Other forums will be held at Sebastapol Plantation, Community Grill, Christian Fellowship Church, WOW Wingery, and Flower Power. The forums are open to any topic someone might wish to inquire about as well as general update information.

Thanks to everyone who keeps making it happen in St. Bernard Parish.

God Bless,
Craig P. Taffaro, Jr.