Concerned the recovery from Hurricane Katrina is not generating business and jobs fast enough, the city is moving toward outsourcing most of its economic development efforts to a public-private partnership.

Bludgeoned first by the oil bust in the 1980s and then the hurricane in 2005, New Orleans finds itself largely dependent on recession-sensitive tourism and conventions. The low-wage employment, coupled with an ongoing crime wave and a poor public education system, have compounded the task of building the strong economic base essential to the recovering city.

Despite billions of dollars of federal aid to rebuild infrastructure, permanent high-wage employment has not poured into New Orleans. Some big-name employers, such as Chevron Corp. and Murphy Exploration Co., have moved.

The partnership, whose mission would be to reverse that trend, is now taking shape. If the City Council signs off, a board and chief executive could be in place early in 2009.

The yet-unnamed group is expected to focus initially on growing existing businesses. Target sectors include health care, tourism, aerospace and energy. Air, ship and rail logistics also would get priority.

'Trading Reggie Bush could be best for him and the New Orleans Saints ,' Bleacher Report, Dec. 16

People want to call Reggie Bush a bust. He's far from it. He's who has been pigeonholed by the media and by his coach as a player who can't run between the tackles. He gets criticized for trying to make the big plays constantly, and then gets criticized for making a run that should've been a loss into something that went two yards.

Does he get hurt often? Yeah. He's a high injury-risk player - anyone who can cut like Bush and tries to jump over players will definitely be high-risk.

Is he a 25-carry-per-game guy? No. But that's not why the Saints drafted him. They drafted him to run the ball 10-15 times per game, but make 5-10 receptions. He is in the top two of career receptions for a third-year player. They drafted him to return punts, at which he's best in the league at this point in his career.

But the illusion that he's a bust won't disappear until he's out of New Orleans. Until he plays for a coach that trusts him and treats him like any multi-purpose running back, he won't be successful.

So for his sake, I hope the Saints trade him. Trade him to Seattle or Cincinnati. Get back a high draft pick. Then watch those teams thrive, while the Saints flounder.

'New Orleans ready for a Ute party,' Salt Lake Tribune, Dec. 16

Utah Football fans who get to the Crescent City on New Year's Eve might be surprised to hear the Utah Man song choreographed to fireworks bursting over the Mississippi River.

That's one of many events planned around Utah's Jan. 2 Sugar Bowl game against Alabama in the New Orleans Superdome. Bob Marshall, a veteran reporter and columnist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, said fans going to Bourbon Street in the days before the game will encounter big crowds.

Marshall said that while the city offers museums, disaster tours and outdoor adventures, Ute fans who have never visited New Orleans should plan on eating, drinking and listening to music. And the town will be ready.

When pressed about "don't miss" things for Utah fans in New Orleans, Mary Beth Romig, director of public relations for the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp., had two suggestions.

"Whatever people do they should enjoy our food," she said. "We have the best in the world from po-boys to muffalettas to a beautiful fish dish at a restaurant. You can't go wrong. "

Her other "must do" suggestion is to ride the St. Charles Avenue streetcar, an inexpensive and fun way to see the city and the Mississippi Riverfront.

Much of the historic city, which was largely spared the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina on outlying areas, is walkable. People curious about the hurricane damage can take a disaster tour, though some view such tours as macabre.