This report from NPR looks at the efforts of one educator to help rebuild communities in New Orleans by rebuilding the city's charter school system.
"Even though James Meza doesn't wear the uniform of a first responder, he is doing rescue work. Meza is saving the children of New Orleans from the miserable education system they had before Hurricane Katrina."
"Meza hopes that the presence of a solid school will jumpstart the recovery. That's the big picture. But walking around the school, Meza gets a smaller reward: The halls are full of the sound of children learning."
"A year-and-a-half ago, most of the homes in the middle-class Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans were vacant or obscured by piles of debris. Today, most of the trash is gone."
"But the people are still missing. It's the grim view that Meza sees on his way to work every day."
"Still, he feels his schools are clearly helping the surrounding neighborhoods."
Read the full story: Educator's Charter Schools Help Revive New Orleans
Hard to Get to Class in Charter-Only New Orleans
In a district now comprised entirely of charter schools, many New Orleans children face hour-plus journeys. This makes for increased stress on low-income families and a potential rise in chronic absenteeism.
Slow Progress in East New Orleans
In this piece from Places, Deborah Gans offers a firsthand look at planning for recovery in the city's neglected East side.
Local Rebuilding Efforts Underpin New Orleans' Recovery
The recovery of New Orleans is happening in many small ways. One of them is the work of community groups to rebuild and re-inhabit damaged homes.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
St. Louis Metro to test if single-car trains can reduce operating costs, maintain rider satisfaction
The pilot program will run from October to spring 2027, and begin with one single-car train operating on Metrolink’s Red and Blue lines.
Pennsylvania is building data centers in abandoned mines
Housing data centers in mines provides an alternative to destroying local forests and may spare residents from data centers’ noise and air pollution.
If Corpus Christi can’t revive desalination plant project, it may owe Texas $235 million
Earlier this month, city officials declined to pursue developing the plant for the second time in a year.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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