NPR: Hurricane Katrina, One Year Later podcast (Investigative)

A little more than two weeks after Katrina hit, President Bush flew to New Orleans and delivered a speech at Jackson Square. NPR's David Greene joined Melissa Block to examine some of the promises the President made that night and to see whether they've been fulfilled. Greene then follows up on the story of a woman whom President Bush promised would be helped. Was that promise fulfilled?

In this final Katrina: One Year Later podcast, NPR's John Burnett reports on a movement in New Orleans to fix some of the problems that existed before the hurricane and rebuild the city better than before.

We focus on the billions of public dollars spent, and yet-to-be spent, on relief and recovery. NPR's Howard Berkes reports he lack of aid is holding developments in Mississippi county hardest hit by Katrina. Melissa Block reported last year on the relief efforts in Gulf Port, Mississippi while Kathy Lohr provides her thoughts on the storm.

The projected costs of clearing broken boats, flooded cars and the remains of cars from the coastal waters is about a quarter of a billion dollars and even that still might not be enough. NPR's Noah Adams begins the his story on a boatride on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Also NPR's John Burnett talks to jazz clarinetist and historian, Michael White about the great loss- his collection New Orleans jazz artifacts. And attending a jazz funeral with Mandalit del Barco.

As flood waters engulfed New Orleans, tens of thousands of people were stranded in their homes. Within a short time, thousands had gathered at the city's convention center without food, water or medical care. NPR's John Burnett was at the Convention Center at that time and wrote this description of the chaotic scene there. Also NPR's Wade Goodwin takes a look at those survivors who relocated to Houston while Mandalit del Barco reports of the makeshift schools set up there to help children cope.

For many people the government-provided trailers have meant a much-needed place to sleep during the long exhausting struggle back to a normal life. And as NPR's Pam Fessler reports it's meant huge contract and large amounts of work for some companies. Also NPR's Greg Allen reports on the flooded escape from St. Bernard Parish.

A year ago today, Hurricane Katrina roared ashore in Louisiana and when Katrina was finally gone, it left a ninety-thousand square mile path of destruction. NPR's John Burnett, was in New Orleans as the storm blew through. Additionally NPR's David Kestenbaum spoke with a spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NPR's Joshua Levs followed the story of one family's efforts to return.

A year ago today many homes and businesses were swept away by Katrina's storm surge. The swath of destruction was so great that initially it was hard to comprehend. NPR's Robert Siegel spoke to a helicopter pilot as he described the scene the next day. Additionally NPR's David Schaper looks at how the casino business is driving the recovery and Noah Adams sends his observations from Mississippi one year later.

After Katrina hit, hundreds of thousands of people fled to Houston. It was the country's largest mass migration since the Dust Bowl. Almost immediately they started telling their stories of the storm.

As Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans last year, the city's mayor urged residents to evacuate. Most did, but about twenty percent of the city's population stayed behind. NPR's Steve Inskeep spoke with one who stayed behind. Meanwhile, over the past year, Robert Siegel followed the path of another family who chose to leave.

When Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, it also devastated families. Nearly 1700 people were killed by the storm and many families were seperated; dispersed to different parts of the country. Almost a year later, people are still searching for loved ones and authorities are still recovering bodies. NPR's Sheryl Corely has the story from New Orleans.

One year after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, NPR's John Ydstie traveled to the Gulf Coast to find out how people are making their way home after the costliest disaster in the nation's history.

There's been a lot of talk along the Gulf Coast about how to rebuild places devastated after Hurricane Katrina. But that attention has not lead to a lot of construction. NPR's Kathy Lohr introduces us to two different experiences in Gulfport. One family who, unlike most affected, has the money to build his dream home and another who struggle to recover in the FEMA-run trailer parks.

Almost a year after Hurricane Katrina, there is a serious crime wave in New Orleans. Shootings, theft and murder are on the rise and the city's police department is struggling to keep up. City officials are worried that it might keep people and businesses from coming back. NPR's Laura Sullivan has this report.

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans a year ago, the breached levees, the flooding, and the devastation of large parts of the city were not a surprise to many scientists. They'd been warning of just such a catastrophe for years. NPR's Daniel Zwerdling described those scenarios in a 2002 documentary on "All Things Considered."

In the year since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has been trying to get back to normal. But that has not been an easy task. People have had to rebuild not only their houses, but also their lives. NPR's Steve Inskeep was back in New Orleans recently, and sent this audio postcard of one day in that struggle.