Hurricane Katrina Aftermath (and other stuff I find interesting)

The studio equipment and irreplaceable record and CDcollection at noncommercial WWOZ 90.7 FM, the publicradio outlet that beamed New Orleans music and cultureto the region – and, via the Internet, the world –survived Hurricane Katrina but might not survive thecity’s current lockdown. David Freedman, the station’s general manger, surveyedthe station’s Armstrong Park headquarters on Thursdayand discovered significant damage to the roof. Freedman attempted to return later with a roofer, butwas turned away on the city’s outskirts. Friday afternoon, he was looking for someone inauthority to approve access to the city long enough topreserve the volunteer-run station, which was knockedoff the air by the storm and which operates on alistener-supported shoestring in best of times. “I just don’t know who to call,” he said.Freedman can be contacted at wwozdavid@yahoo.com or(504) 782-0933.