From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 07:48:48 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:48:48 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Carve a pumpkin--what a great way to waste time at your desk :-) Message-ID: <1d4e01ca5956$f19fed50$d4dfc7f0$@com> This is so much fun!!!! Click on carve a pumpkin. Happy Halloween ! ! ! ! carve a pumpkin From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 07:52:43 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:52:43 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Check out THIS new item now available at WALMART Message-ID: <1d4f01ca5957$7de66b40$79b341c0$@com> OMG...I didn't believe it until I checked it out for myself!!! And I work in the Vision Center (part-time) LOL. I'm flabbergasted and STILL can't believe this!!! Wonder of all wonders...it's made in the USA too!!! Rena http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constraint=4044&ic=48_0&se arch_query=casket http://tinyurl.com/yjq7sjw YES, IT'S REAL... If you don't believe it, try searching yourself... Just go to http://www.walmart.com/ and in the search bar at the top type in CASKET and hit enter. Wal-mart REALLY DOES SELL EVERYTHING! From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 08:18:56 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:18:56 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Did you see this on local TV? Message-ID: <1d6001ca595b$270fe6d0$752fb470$@com> Did you see this on local TV? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10oTpL_Rqm4 From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 08:20:01 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:20:01 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] TRICK OR TRUNK ? Message-ID: <1d6101ca595b$4deacd10$e9c06730$@com> Hasn't popular, property-expensive neighborhoods holding their park-n-walk Trick or Treats again (like Lexington, etc?). I can recall prior to Katrina the VERY dwindling kids in the neighborhoods who annually moved the trick or treat areas to the park-n-walk areas. 20 yrs ago, the neighborhoods were packed from 5:45-7:30 or so. At the time of Katrina, crowds were down to about 10 groups of kids where hundreds once were. Granted, some neighborhood kids grow up, and some religions took to the "trunks" and parties, but on Devil's Night, I wanted to show Satan I can have fun and exclude him in spite of All Hallows Eve. Besides, I can't make it on December "55" this year, maybe next .. --jer-- ----------------------------------------------------- I asked Gidget McDougall the same question and this is what I was told -- "We are not having it this year. Trick or Trunk was born out of the necessity and to give children an opportunity to trick or treat before the return of many of our own neighborhoods. Now that many of our neighborhoods have returned children are able to return to their own neighborhood Halloween traditions. But, the energy that it took to put that event on is now being channeled to bring back the Christmas Parade and Christmas in Torres Park which will be held on Saturday, December 55th." Jo Senko From westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 08:22:14 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:22:14 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Murphy Oil Sued Over Air Pollution From Meraux Refinery Message-ID: <1d6201ca595b$9d8deaa0$d8a9bfe0$@com> Murphy Oil Sued Over Air Pollution From Meraux Refinery NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, October 29, 2009 (ENS) - Student attorneys at Tulane University's Environmental Law Clinic are taking on a giant oil company on behalf of a community group suffering from air pollutants released into their residential neighborhoods by an oil refinery. A motion for partial summary judgment against Murphy Oil USA, Inc. was filed today by the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic on behalf of the neighborhood association Concerned Citizens Around Murphy. The citizens' lawsuit, initially filed in November 2008, alleges the Murphy Oil refinery at Meraux, Louisiana has violated the Clean Air Act over 130 times since October 2003 by releasing tons of sulfur dioxide and other harmful pollutants, including hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic compounds, in amounts that exceed their permit limits. Documents filed in federal district court claim defendant Murphy Oil, USA is liable for violating the Clean Air Act and that the neighborhood association has standing to bring suit. The citizen suit provision of the federal Clean Air Act grants citizens the independent authority to enforce legal standards to protect their own health and welfare and to encourage government agencies to enforce the Act more vigorously. The neighborhood association seeks judgment on liability and standing issues, civil penalties and a court injunction to stop the illegal releases of air pollutants. According to court documents, Murphy Oil admitted violating their air permits on at least 20 occasions. These violations occurred during preventable upsets and resulted in tons of toxic air releases into the Chalmette and Meraux neighborhoods. Preventable upsets are unpermitted air emissions that occur when plants are being started up or shut down, during maintenance or during accidents due to operator error or leaks. Murphy Oil USA Inc. operates retail gasoline stations under the Murphy USAR brand across 20 states in the United States. These are high-volume, low-cost retail gasoline stations, primarily in the parking areas of Wal-Mart Supercenters. Murphy Oil USA, also operates a network of 12 company-owned terminals, which, along with numerous third-party terminals, provide fuel supply to retail and branded wholesale stations throughout 23 states. Murphy Oil Corporation is an international oil and gas company that conducts business through various operating subsidiaries. The company produces oil and natural gas in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Malaysia and conducts exploration activities worldwide. In a statement on the company website, David Wood, Murphy's president and CEO, says, "Our company established a Board level environmental committee years before many of our peers." He says, "we will strive to create an ever improving and sustainable environment for our employees, our shareholders and the communities in which we work." Concerned Citizens Around Murphy hopes that proves true for their community. The neighborhood association was formed to address quality of life issues and to protect the organization's members and other St. Bernard Parish residents from pollution coming from the surrounding petrochemical industry. "With the holiday season approaching, most neighborhoods are planning festivities with associated decorations," said Suzanne Kneale, an active member of Concerned Citizens Around Murphy. "Yet, residents in the fenceline community around Murphy often forgo outdoor lighting and other activities due to poor air quality." The only thing separating their homes from the refinery is a pipeline easement and a fence in need of repair. "The unauthorized releases at the Murphy Oil Meraux refinery adversely effect the health and quality of life of residents," said Kneale. "We are seeking a court injunction to preserve what little good air is left in this community." Louisiana has a total of 17 refineries. Three have had citizen enforcement suits filed against them, and two of those three are in St. Bernard Parish. The neighborhood association says this reflects local zoning and compliance issues that have allowed hazardous industry to operate adjacent to residential districts. From westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 08:24:22 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:24:22 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] White House battles to claim credit but avoid blame on economy Message-ID: <1d6601ca595b$e9c15ce0$bd4416a0$@com> White House battles to claim credit but avoid blame on economy By: Julie Mason Examiner White House Correspondent October 30, 2009 President Obama touted upbeat economic news as proof his stimulus spending was working, but Republicans cited the jobless recovery as a reason to shift priorities. "The steps we've taken have made a difference," Obama said at the White House. "But I also know we have a long way to go." The economy grew by 3.5 percent in the third quarter of the year, according to the Commerce Department. The positive growth ended four consecutive quarters of economic contraction. The news, better than many economists had predicted, was widely hailed as the beginning of the end of the recession. But critics noted that the improved consumer spending was partially attributable to car sales and the "cash for clunkers" rebates, noting that publicly funded recovery comes up short of a true economic rebound. "Was this the equivalent of pouring Red Bull into the economy and now we're going to have to come down from that caffeinated sugar high?" Rep. Mike Burgess, R-Texas, said at a hearing of the Joint Economic Committee. Republicans have been urging the administration to better help the economy by doing more to help small businesses create jobs, and by being more creative with tax breaks rather than spending. Republicans also have urged that some of Obama's future spending proposals, such as a $13 billion so-called senior stimulus plan to give $250 checks to older taxpayers, be paid for out of what remains from the $787 billion stimulus bill. Rising unemployment and a persistent lack of significant job creation have the administration lately in a defensive crouch. The White House lashed out at a report by the Associated Press detailing inflated claims on job creation, and Obama worried openly about jobs even as he touted new gross domestic product numbers. "The benchmark I use to measure the strength of our economy is not just whether our GDP is growing, but whether we are creating jobs," the president said. Republicans agreed, and so far the lack of job creation has proved their most powerful argument against the administration's claims of economic turnaround. House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio noted that Obama promised the stimulus would create jobs immediately and keep unemployment below 8 percent. "Any positive signs for our economy are welcome, but a jobless recovery is not what the American people were promised," Boehner said. "For millions of out-of-work families struggling to make ends meet, this recession feels far from over." Unemployment currently hovers near 10 percent, and Christina Romer, chairwoman of Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, warned it would take "sustained, robust" GDP growth to produce results in the employment sector. That sustained growth may be elusive. The 3.5 percent growth in the third quarter doesn't fully restore more significant declines of 6 percent a year ago. Administration officials have said the economy has already seen the biggest boost it will get from stimulus spending. jmason at washingtonexaminer.com From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 08:27:18 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:27:18 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] BAYER Aspirin crystals Message-ID: <1d6701ca595c$5252ecb0$f6f8c610$@com> Bayer is making crystal aspirin to dissolve under the tongue. The crystals work much faster than the tablets. Cardiologists tell us to keep aspirin by our bedside. Facts about heart attacks that might save a life some day: Heart attacks do not always involve pain on the left arm and shoulder. There are other symptoms: One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating. These symptoms may also occur less frequently than left arm pain but when they occur, it is serious. Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack. The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep. If that happens, immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water. As soon as you can: - phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by - say "heart attack!" - tell them that you have taken 2 aspirins - take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival - do NOT lie down! A cardiologist has stated that, if each person forwards this email to 10 people, probably one life can be saved! Please forward it to people you care about. From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 08:30:12 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:30:12 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] response re Trick or Trunk Message-ID: <1d6801ca595c$ba0e19b0$2e2a4d10$@com> Thanks to all who responded Syl From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 15:23:41 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:23:41 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Morning Bell: The Pelosi Blueprint for Government Run Health Care Message-ID: <1f3b01ca5996$7db26450$79172cf0$@com> FRIDAY, OCT 30, 2009 The Pelosi Blueprint for Government Run Health Care The new House health care bill (H.R. 3962 ) unveiled by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) yesterday clocks in at 1,990 pages and about 400,000 words. As written, the bill purports to cost only $1.05 trillion over the first ten years and is paid for by over $700 billion in tax increases and cuts to Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug payments . But as troubling as those numbers are, the scariest thing about the bill is the solid foundation it lays for a complete government take over of the health care sector of our economy. The Washington Post describes the bill as ?creating an expensive new entitlement program (subsidies to purchase health insurance) and dramatically expanding an existing one (Medicaid).? This is true by itself, but the Post later dismissively adds: ?If you?ve noticed that we haven?t talked about the public option in the House bill, that?s not an oversight. For all the fury over the issue, it doesn?t matter that much; the CBO estimates that the government-run plan would actually have slightly higher premiums.? This is a breathtakingly naive statement by the Post and demonstrates that they have not yet fully grasped how all the different elements of the bill are designed to interact to produce President Barack Obama?s desired outcome. The Medicaid Expansion: Under current law the CBO projects that only 35 million Americans would be on Medicaid by 2019. The House bill massively expands the Medicaid program by raising the upper income cutoff to 150 percent of the federal poverty line (FPL). As a result, the CBO now estimates some 50 million Americans will be enrolled in the program at a ten year cost to the federal government of $425 billion. This does not include the $34 billion in increased Medicaid costs that state governments will have to spend. The Insurance Subsidies: The House bill also creates a Health Insurance Exchange through which individuals without employer based coverage could purchase insurance. The bill also provides ?affordability credits? to people who are below 400% FPL. However, the bill also denies access to the credit for all people who are ?eligible? for Medicaid. In essence, therefore, the House bill forces all Americans below 150% FPL to enroll in Medicaid or pay the individual mandate fine . The CBO explains why the Democrats chose this route: ?The estimated costs of providing subsidies through the new insurance exchanges are now lower for several reasons: the larger expansion of Medicaid means that fewer people would be eligible for coverage through the exchanges.? In other words, it?s cheaper to force people into Medicaid then to give them subsidies high enough to buy private insurance. Furthermore, individuals are only allowed to enroll in the cheapest (?basic?) plans for the first two years. After that, they can only choose more expensive plans or the government run plan. The Employer Mandate: The bill imposes a new 8% payroll tax on employers who don?t cover specified percentages of their employees? health insurance. In the short term this will only result in job losses and lower wages. But further down the road, the health plans would have to meet new requirements to be specified later by Obama?s new Health Czar (?Health Choices Commissioner?). If your employer?s health plan doesn?t meet those requirements (which are all but guaranteed to drive up the cost of your health plan), you couldn?t keep it. The Public Option: As health insurance premiums keep rising thanks to all the new requirements in the current bill and the Health Czar?s future regulations, more and more people will have no choice but to depend on the government plan or face a fine. At first, only individuals and employers with 25 employees or fewer would be eligible for the government run plan. But in year two (2014) individuals and employers with 50 employees or fewer become eligible, in year three (2015) employers with at least 100 employees become eligible but starting that year, the Health Czar permitted from this year forward to expand employer participation as appropriate, ?with the goal of allowing all employers access to the Exchange.? In effect, the bill makes larger sized employers explicitly eligible and still turns over authority to the Health Czar to further open it up. The goal has been, and still clearly is, to open the exchange and the public plan to everyone. As the Post notes, the CBO now projects that the government run premiums will actually be higher than private plans. The Democrats will not allow this to continue. History shows that entitlement programs like this quickly devolve into price control central planning. A less ?robust? public option today will almost certainly be a more robust public option tomorrow. Look no further than the history of Medicare. Medicare was initially designed to pay private rates, but now the program has a complex formula for administered pricing. So that?s the plan: force all Americans to buy health insurance, regulate the private plans till they are too expensive, and then slowly expand the power and size of the public option as Americans are left with no choice but to turn to government run health care. That is how Pelosi aims to achieve Obama?s goal of ?Everybody in, Nobody out? government run health care. The costs are going to be staggering. Not only will health care quality and choice suffer as more and more Americans are forced onto a government plan that reimburses providers at low government set rates, but the price tag is guaranteed to skyrocket. The only way the House managed to keep their price tag as low as $1.05 trillion is by pretending that Congress would cut Medicare reimbursement rates by 20% in 2010. The full ten-year cost of being honest about the Medicare reimbursement rates would be $250 billion. Less choice, lower quality health care, and trillion dollar deficits for years to come: that is the House?s prescription for health reform. QUICK HITS An alleged member of the Hamburg, Germany terror cell linked to the Sept. 11 attacks is believed to be among al Qaeda leaders helping the Taliban in Pakistan. According to leaked House Ethics Committee documents, more than 30 lawmakers, including nearly half of the Defense Appropriations subcommittee , are being scrutinized about issues including defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling . In a rejection of President Obama?s engagement strategy , Iran told the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Thursday that it would not accept a plan to send its stockpile of uranium out of the country. According to U.S. military officials, two Russian attack submarines were detected patrolling the waters off the East Coast of the U.S. Thanks to the fraud riddled homebuyers tax credit , and the $24,000 per car cost to taxpayers Cash for Clunkers program , the nation?s Gross Domestic Product grew 3.5% this summer . From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 15:27:08 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:27:08 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Patients First Bus Tour Comes Back to Louisiana, Nov. 2-3 Message-ID: <1f3f01ca5996$f8edf030$eac9d090$@com> You are invited to attend AFP's bus rally against government-run health care. On Monday and Tuesday, November 2 & 3, the Patients First Bus Tour, a project of Americans for Prosperity, will be in Louisiana. At each stop you'll have an opportunity to hear from experts about what is in the most current bill, how it will affect you and what you can do to stop a Washington takeover of your health care. You'll be able to sign a petition, write and call your members of Congress, and learn about the current status of health care legislation and what you can do to protect your rights as a patient. The Patients First Hands Off My Health Care bus has already visited thirteen states. Thousands of people have come out to show their support for real reform and for putting patients first. Americans for Prosperity's Patients First Bus Tour Louisiana Patients First Bus Tour Stops: Monday and Tuesday, November 2 & 3 Covington - Monday November 2 at 11 a.m. St. Tammany Justice Center (Courthouse) 701 North Columbia Street Covington, LA 70433 Metairie - Monday November 2 at 4 p.m. Veterans Memorial Square 3301 Veterans Blvd. (Corner of Veterans and Causeway - Across from Lakeside Mall) Metairie, LA Baton Rouge - Tuesday November 3 at 9:00 a.m. Capitol Park Welcome Center 702 River Road Baton Rouge, LA Lafayette - Tuesday November 3 at 11:30 a.m. Elysian Fields Park 301 River Rand Blvd. in the River Ranch Development Lafayette, LA Lake Charles - Tuesday November 3 at 4:00 p.m. Lake Charles Civic Center (Parking Lot) 900 Lakeshore Drive Lake Charles, LA 70601 Click here to be directed to the Patients First: A Project of Americans for Prosperity's website, where you can read more about the mission of this organization as well as this event. From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 15:28:12 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:28:12 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Health Care Reform Town Hall Meeting Message-ID: <1f4001ca5997$1f4352c0$5dc9f840$@com> Dear Friend, Please join me at a Health Care Reform Town Hall Meeting this Saturday, October 31st. We'll discuss making health care more affordable without a government-run health care plan. The meeting will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the Houma Municipal Auditorium, located at 800 Verret Street in Houma. I strongly support common-sense reforms to health care, such as lowering prescription drug prices and making health care more affordable and accessible. But I oppose the Obama health care plan because it allows Washington to take over health care decisions that should be made by doctors and patients. The Obama plan could move up to 60 percent of already-insured Americans onto a government plan and would not lower premium costs or increase quality. We'll discuss this and more at my Health Care Town Hall Meeting Saturday. I really look forward to hearing your views on these and other key issues for Louisiana families. Sincerely, David Vitter U.S. Senator From westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 15:28:41 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:28:41 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] BAYER Aspirin crystals Message-ID: <1f4101ca5997$30984620$91c8d260$@com> I'll have to admit, this is a clever bit of ad work. Bayer introduces a new product and floods message boards with an email that implies the product will save your life in the event of a heart attack. No cost and no accountability. Much smarter than their previous effort to market this product. http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/05/bayer-aspirin-m.html Richard From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 15:31:38 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:31:38 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] The Pelosi Blueprint for Government Run Health Care Message-ID: <1f4201ca5997$99fbcbf0$cdf363d0$@com> When looking back at just two recent examples of Federal Government involvement in the private sector: 1) Cash for clunkers, a $4000 dollar rebate which turned into a cost to taxpayers of $24000 per car, and 2) The almost trillion dollar job stimulus, which needed to be rushed through because the economy was going to collapse, supposedly has saved only 30,000 jobs (and at that, this number has claims of being exaggerated), when hundreds of thousands per month are losing jobs? With 15% of the money spent for this, that is about 4 million per job! Do we really want to let the Government take over Health Care as it shows in this bill? As Mitt Romney once stated, "You think Health Care is expensive now? Wait until it is free!" Now is the time to voice your opinions loud and clear. Whatever they may be. http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm MGS From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 15:36:34 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:36:34 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Easy to understand. . . . even for bleeding heart liberals Message-ID: <1f4601ca5998$4a413950$dec3abf0$@com> JOE LEGAL vs. JOSE ILLEGAL You have two families: "Joe Legal" and "Jose Illegal". Both families have two parents, two children, and live in California . Joe Legal works in construction, has a Social Security Number and makes $25.00 per hour with taxes deducted. Jose Illegal also works in construction, has NO Social Security Number, and gets paid $15.00 cash "under the table". Ready? Now pay attention... Joe Legal: $25.00 per hour x 40 hours = $1000.00 per week, or $52,000.00 per year. Now take 30% away for state and federal tax; Joe Legal now has $31,231.00. Jose Illegal: $15.00 per hour x 40 hours = $600.00 per week, or $31,200.00 per year. Jose Illegal pays no taxes. Jose Illegal now has $31,200.00. Joe Legal pays medical and dental insurance with limited coverage for his family at $600.00 per month, or $7,200.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $24,031.00. Jose Illegal has full medical and dental coverage through the state and local clinics at a cost of $0.00 per year. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00. Joe Legal makes too much money and is not eligible for food stamps or welfare. Joe Legal pays $500.00 per month for food, or $6,000.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $18,031.00. Jose Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for food stamps and welfare. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00. Joe Legal pays rent of $1,200.00 per month, or $14,400.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $9,631.00. Jose Illegal receives a $500.00 per month federal rent subsidy. Jose Illegal pays out that $500.00 per month, or $6,000.00 per year. Jose Illegal still has $ 31,200.00. Joe Legal pays $200.00 per month, or $2,400.00 for insurance. Joe Legal now has $7,231.00. Jose Illegal says, "We don't need no stinkin' insurance!" and still has $31,200.00. Joe Legal has to make his $7,231.00 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline, etc. Jose Illegal has to make his $31,200.00 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline, and what he sends out of the country every month. Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part time job after work. Jose Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family. Joe Legal's and Jose Illegal's children both attend the same school. Joe Legal pays for his children's lunches while Jose Illegal's children get a government sponsored lunch. Jose Illegal's children have an after school ESL program. Joe Legal's children go home. Joe Legal and Jose Illegal both enjoy the same police and fire services, but Joe paid for them and Jose did not pay. Do you get it, now? If you vote for or support any politician that supports illegal aliens... You are part of the problem! It's way PAST time to take a stand for America and Americans! From westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 17:01:26 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:01:26 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Toxic drywall? Goodbye, insurance Message-ID: <1f7b01ca59a4$253af590$6fb0e0b0$@com> Toxic drywall? Goodbye, insurance Some buyers are finding their homes were built with tainted materials from China. Yet when they turn to their insurers, they get dumped -- and could face foreclosure. By The Associated Press James and Maria Ivory's dreams of a relaxing retirement on Florida's Gulf Coast were put on hold when they discovered their new home had been built with Chinese drywall that emits sulfuric fumes and corrodes pipes. It got worse when they asked their insurer for help. Not only was their claim denied, but they've been told their entire policy won't be renewed. Thousands of homeowners nationwide who have bought new houses made with defective building materials are finding their hopes dashed and their lives in limbo. Experts warn that cases like the Ivorys', in which insurers drop policies or send notices of nonrenewal because of tainted Chinese drywall, will become rampant as insurance companies work their way through the hundreds of claims currently in the pipeline. At least three insurers already have canceled or refused to renew policies after homeowners sought help replacing the bad materials. Because mortgage companies require homeowners to insure their properties, they are then at risk of foreclosure, yet no law prevents the cancellations. "This is like the small wave that's out on the horizon that's going to continue to grow and grow until it becomes a tsunami," said Florida attorney David Durkee, who represents hundreds of homeowners who are suing builders, suppliers and manufacturers over the drywall. During the height of the U.S. housing boom, with building materials in short supply, U.S. construction companies turned to Chinese-made drywall because it was abundant and cheap. An Associated Press analysis of shipping records found that more than 500 million pounds of Chinese gypsum board was imported from 2004 to 2008 -- enough to have built tens of thousands of homes. The materials are heavily concentrated in the Southeast, especially in Florida and areas of Louisiana and Mississippi hit hard by Hurricane Katrina.The defective materials have been found by state and federal agencies to emit "volatile sulfur compounds" and contain traces of strontium sulfide, which can produce a rotten-egg odor, along with organic compounds not found in U.S.-made drywall. Homeowners complain the fumes are corroding copper pipes, destroying TVs and air conditioners, and blackening jewelry and silverware. Some believe the wallboard is also making residents ill. The federal government is studying the problem and considering some sort of relief for homeowners. The Associated Press interviewed several homeowners who, like the Ivorys, were unlucky enough to purchase properties built with Chinese drywall. Those homeowners are now being hit with a second wave of bad news: Their insurers are declining to fill their claims, then canceling the policies or issuing notices that they won't be renewed until the problem is fixed. The homebuyers have little recourse against the Chinese manufacturers; the companies and the Beijing government are not likely to respond to any lawsuits or reimburse them for the defective materials. In each instance, the insurer learned of the drywall through a claim filed by the homeowner seeking financial help with its removal. The Ivorys have sued their builder, but it could take months for their case and hundreds like it to work their way through the courts. In the meantime, the Ivorys have moved back to Colorado because their three-bedroom ranch home two miles from the Gulf of Mexico is unlivable and soon will be uninsured. "It's been an emotional roller coaster," said James Ivory, who is still making mortgage payments on the Florida house. "It was all in our heads -- nice weather down there, calm life, beaches. Now I don't know what to do." John Kuczwanski, a spokesman for the Ivorys' insurer, Citizens Property Insurance, said the family's claim was denied because the drywall is considered a builder defect, which is not covered under the policy. Citizens also considers the drywall a pre-existing condition that could lead to future damage, so the company won't renew the policy unless the problem is fixed. "If someone were to have bought a new car and there was a defective part, would that person go to their auto insurance to get that fixed, or would they go back to the manufacturer?" Kuczwanski asked. "We provide insurance, not warranty service." Citizens, a last-resort insurer backed by the state of Florida for people who can't find affordable coverage elsewhere, has received 23 claims about Chinese drywall and has denied five so far. Citizens could not immediately say how many policies had been canceled or not renewed because of the drywall. Robert Hartwig, the president of the Insurance Information Institute, agreed that homeowners policies were never meant to cover "faulty, inadequate or defective" workmanship, construction or materials. Tom Zutell, a spokesman for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, said that while the cancellations may be troubling, they are legal. No law prevents insurance companies from canceling policies because of Chinese drywall. "We are staying out of the fray at the moment," he said. Yet staying mum doesn't guarantee coverage for homebuyers. Even if a homeowner does not file a claim over the drywall and remains covered, he or she could later be denied a claim for a fire or another calamity if insurance investigators determine the home contained undisclosed Chinese drywall. "If you think that by not telling your insurance company about the drywall that you're protected, you're sadly mistaken," Durkee said. A newly married couple in Hallandale Beach, Fla., saved up for five years to buy their first home only to discover that it had Chinese drywall. They filed a claim with their insurer, Universal Insurance of North America, and were denied. Universal then sent the couple a letter, stating their policy was being dropped because "the dwelling was built with Chinese drywall." The couple have since signed on with Citizens but haven't divulged the drywall issue and haven't filed another claim. The 31-year-old man requested anonymity because he's afraid of losing his insurance policy -- and thus his home. "I honestly don't know what I'd do if that happened," he said. "All this has basically taken us back five years. We saved money to buy this home." Universal did not respond to requests for comment. Louisiana lawyer Daniel Becnel Jr., who represents more than 200 owners of homes that contain Chinese drywall, is advising his clients to avoid filing claims with their insurers lest they lose their houses. "I really believe everybody should have an insurance claim with this," Becnel said. "But it's hard to tell somebody to go make a claim, then they lose their policy. . . . This is a nightmare for people." "I tell people flat out if you file, you may lose your insurance," said Mississippi attorney Steve Mullins, who has about 100 clients with Chinese drywall in their homes. Chris Whitfield, a 29-year-old tire repairman, bought a house in Picayune, Miss., after his home in Louisiana's St. Bernard Parish was destroyed by Katrina. He soon discovered the new home was built with Chinese drywall, and he moved out because it was making his family sick. His claim was denied by his insurer, Nationwide, which followed up with a notice that he would be dropped because his policy didn't cover unoccupied dwellings. Nationwide spokeswoman Liz Christopher declined to comment on Whitfield's case and could not say how many drywall claims had been submitted or how many policies had been canceled or not renewed. Whitfield offered to move back into the house, but he said he was told he'd first have to replace the drywall. "I don't know what I'm going to do," he said. From Westley at da-parish.com Fri Oct 30 17:01:47 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:01:47 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] LouisianaRebuilds.info Weekly Alert Message-ID: <1f7c01ca59a4$3212c540$96384fc0$@com> 2009 Louisiana Tax Amnesty Program ________________________________ Taxpayers with outstanding balances of taxes due the State of Louisiana can settle their accounts by paying all taxes owed, along with any assessed fees and 50 percent of the interest due. For eligible accounts, the Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) will waive all penalties and the remaining half of the interest. The deadline is October 31. Find out more here . Contractor Rating System ________________________________ Find and rate contractors working locally and help our community rebuild by getting the word out about good and bad contractors. Use our Contractor Rating System (with over 500 local listings and ratings) to rate a contractor you've used or search for contractor reviews before you hire. Find our Contractor Rating System and a wealth of information about hiring contractors in our Contractor Guide . Flood Insurance Information ________________________________ Find information about flood risks, flood elevation, and more in our Insurance section. Upcoming Events ________________________________ October 31: Community Childrens Health Fair November 7: Rebuilding Together Local Build November 14: Art House: Big Easy Artists Celebrate Build Nows New Homes